title: Malignant pleural effusion and algorithm management.
abstract: Involvement of the pleura in lung cancer is a common manifestation accompanying with reduced life expectancy. Symptoms relief and improvement of the quality of life are the primary goals of the management of malignant pleural effusion (MPE). Histological confirmation is essential for optimal patient management. Lung cancer patients, with life expectancy more than 3 months, resistant to chemotherapy should be treated with thoracentesis, intercoastal tube drainage and installation of a sclerosant agent or pleurodesis through thoracospopic procedures or placement of an indwelling pleura catheter. Talc pleurodesis (sterile asbestos-free graded, particle size >15 μm), as "poudrage" or "slurry" still remains the treatment of choice in patients with MPE resistant to chemotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Pulmonary Department-Oncology Unit, "G. Papanikolaou" General Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece;
authors.forename: Konstantinos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zarogoulidis
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zarogoulidis
authors.forename: Kaid
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Darwiche
authors.forename: Kosmas
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tsakiridis
authors.forename: Nikolaos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Machairiotis
authors.forename: Ioanna
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kougioumtzi
authors.forename: Nikolaos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Courcoutsakis
authors.forename: Eirini
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Terzi
authors.forename: Bojan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zaric
authors.forename: Haidong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Lutz
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Freitag
authors.forename: Dionysios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Spyratos
keywords: Malignant pleural effusion (MPE); pleurodesis; suicide gene therapy; thoracoscopy